just spent a week in San Francisco because my son graduated from college. I ate everything in sight! seafood, chowder, seafood cocktails, Chinatown twice, my son took me to a vegan restaurant where i ate kaazar , sei-tan,, I don't even know the rest. I gained 9.5 lbs in 6 days. I am back on it now and since Monday I took off 2 lbs of it. easy on, hard to get off, right? anyway, cleaned my fridge when I came home, went and bought tons of veggies and fruit and planned my (family) menus for this week (even Memorial Day I'm gonna be good:) Must admit that when I went crazy binging like that I noticed that everyone in my family (including the 2 skinny ones) felt uncomfortable. I did not like that feeling, so like the Japanese say, "Fall down 7 times, get up 8!"

I just joined Spark yesterday and I thought I'd drop by and introduce myself. I am Amy and I live in Juneau Alaska. Such a beautiful place, especially in the summer! But am I out hiking and mountain climbing and kayaking and enjoying Alaska? Nope! I am wearily trudging around with an extra 220 lbs!! And I want it off! Permanently! And I'm so happy to find this Spark Team -full of people who I hope will understand just how I feel!

Hi guys, new to the team...hmmm something about me. I've lost over 125 lbs twice in my life. Actually twice since 2004. And gained it all back plus. Ugh! It's disheartening but I'm trying to stay positive. I'm already down 50.4lbs this time around -- this time around started January 2011. I have a great hubby and a 15 month old daughter and this time it's not just for me...it's for all of us. I want to create a healthy lifestyle and eating habits for my family.

Hi everybody, new to team and SP Something about me...Well, how about the reason I'm here? I joined because I need to lose weight, get healthy, avoid injury/disease, and all that good stuff. But more than that, I just want to be pretty, respected, and accepted. ...And not be stared at or picked on like some gross-out freakshow.

Hi :) I am Liz and I have been on sparkpeople for a while now. I just don't use this as much as i could be. I have become more serious about dropping my weight in the last year. I was on psych meds as a child up until last january (I am turning 29 in May) and after taking them I started loosing weight without really trying. So far i am down 52 pounds but I know i need to loose more. I have a trip next January to go to Greece with my college and right now the idea of flying especially with the whole seat thing, bothers me to no end. It's also a pain to go out to eat or the movies and have people be rude or stare. Its extremely frustrating to have people still judge me because of my weight- and these are adults.

I think one of the main driving reasons I want to drop my weight is I want kids some day. Its a goal and I want to get to that place where i am able to. So thanks for this group.. I think its so kick butt that there are people who have the same goals and are willing to offer support :)

Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly.

Hi, my name is Lauri and I live in Clackamas, Oregon which is just a suburb of Portland. I am 40 years young and divorced with no kids. I am currently dating a man that lives in Brooklyn, NY and is working in Africa at the moment on a project; he's an engineer for a dairy company.

I joined SparkPeople about a month ago and have lost 12 pounds. I am looking to change up my plan because things aren't going as smoothly as I'd like them to be. I am averaging right now about 1200-1350 calories a day with about 50% or a little more coming from complex carbohydrates and I've added exercise when the weight was only dropping about 2 pounds per week. Now this last week I gained a pound. I'm thinking I need to increase my calorie intake a bit and add more protein to my diet. I eat very little fat (averaging 15%) so I don't think that's the problem. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

I started this program at 396.4 pounds and I hope to be down to 175 by February of 2014. I think this is a fairly reasonable goal. I have been morbidly obese my whole life and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about 2 1/2 years ago now. I am able to control it through medication so far which is great because I'm scared to death of needles! LOL This is part of my reasoning for doing this now too. This is the first time in my life that I've been this motivated to lose weight and stick with it. Even when I was on Jenny Craig and paying for the program I was still cheating all the time or skipping meals. RIght now I eat 5-6 times a day and my blood sugars have been great!

I'm also looking for some friends and people to help encourage me and that I can be there for too. If you're interested in being my friend, please add me. You'll make my day! I know with perseverance that I can do this.For the first time in my life I want this BAD!!

Hugs, Lauri

Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know!

Hi all :) Im a 23 year old stay at home girlfriend, not because I want to be, but because of my weight. I want to, in the end, lose at least 300lbs. Big goal I know, but I'm taking it one day at a time :)

- Flavia

"The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond." ~Mae West

My name is Liz and I want to introduce myself to this team. I joined because of the amount of weight I have to lose (211 lbs is my big goal) and because the team name has fun in it. I have two kids (boy age 10) and girl (age 16) . For a long time, I was so busy with work and being a mom that I did not make time for my health. I have realised that in order for me to be successful, it must be a lifestyle change and it has to be fun in order for me to be successful. I have a bad knee that has dramatically improved with the exercise and weight loss I have accomplished so far...and I walk, swim, stretch to make it happen. I also do crazy things like walk backward for 1/2 mile...to challenge myself and make it fun...I challenge my family to walk to restaurants near home or to hike when it is snowing and cold outside. I am 48 years old, live in Overland Park, KS. I plan to be successful this time and will use Spark People both for inspiration and accountability.

I am a 51yr old stay home mom and I just joined the group because I need a lot of encouragement, I had gastric bypass surgery less than a month ago. And I'm still trying to figure out what works best for me.

Hello everyone!! My name is Dee and I'm back from being gone for quite some time. Matter of fact since July of 2009. I'm very happy to be back on Spark. Looking forward to meeting everyone and being part of the team.

Hi All! My name is Wendy and I started my new journey on 1/1/11. I think for the first time something "clicked" and I'm really onboard with my weight loss. Finding some weeks the scale isnt' overly inspiring, but I know I'm pointed in the right direction, and eventually WILL get to my goal.

I started exercising for really the first time ever for more than a couple of days, and dare say I'm a Dance Central (xbox) fanatic now! I've had many wonderful people and friends come into my life to help this time around, and I'm ready to do this!!

I love meeting new friends on similar journeys, so say hi anytime! WE CAN DO THIS! :)

Hi my name is Tammy. I live in Ohio with my family and our pets. I am 36 and I love to quilt and help out at church. We live in a really tiny town noone has ever heard of where there are no red lights and no stores. I have 3 teenage kids, 3 dogs, 3 birds, 15 fish and a turtle. I am new on here and to the group...Thanks for letting me join

Welcome Jackie! I'm glad you're joining us. I guess you got fed up with being fat at the same weight I did! It sucks being the fattest person in your group... Well, here you aren't. There are folks with even worse challenges than we face, and there are those who started way higher than we did, and are now down to a much smaller size than us!

You have to log your food every day. All your food. And if you aren't really sure how a meal will affect your calorie, carb, protein, or fat ranges, log it before you eat it! You can always take it off of the tracker, if you change your mind. Or modify it on the tracker, to see how you can make it healthier.

You also have to move more. That will help get your metabolism moving and burn up the calories you are eating and your fat reserves. Find something you enjoy. For me, it is swimming. No, I don't look at all good in a swimsuit, but I go to the city pool anyway. Once I am in the pool, it is hard to tell if I am a size 32, or a size 18. Then I swim laps. I swim and swim and swim for as long as I can. My pool closes at 7 pm, and I work until 4:30, so the most I can get in is 2 hours on weeknights. And weekends, I rarely swim more, because I get tired. But it all adds up.

It's good to have an alternate workout in mind, too, in case the weather changes your plans, or you just don't feel like doing the same old thing. It has been storming here for the past three days. But I have Netflix and they have instant-view workout videos. If you don't have that, SparkPeople has some workout demos, too.

We are all here to support you, but you have to post, so we can help you when you need it, or praise you and get inspiration from you when you do well. Each of us does well sometimes and has bad days other times, so we are always alternating between encouraging and needing encouragement.

Glad to have you with us! I look forward to getting to know you better! Sherree

Hi my name is Jackie I am 42 years old have been a member of sparkpeople for many years but have never been able to stick to it. I lose a little and then gain a whole lot more right now I am at my highest 360 and really need to lose the weight. I don't like how I feel I find everything hard to do I am hoping to meet new friends on here to help me along my journey. I am married have two children ages 13 and 10 and I take care of a special needs boy who is 5.

Jackie

You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be. David Viscott

The greatest gift that you can give yourself is a little bit of your own attention. --Anthony D'Angelo

I have been Sparking in earnest since June 1, 2010. I just found this team and it looked like fun. So I joined.

I'm 54 and live in South Florida, near Fort Lauderdale. I inspect aerospace metals for a living...yes, it IS rocket science. :-) It is a challenging job mentally, but extremely sedentary. I have a 36 year old son and a 16 year old grandson and a long-distance boyfriend from Canada who I have been seeing since 1999. He stays with me several months of each year.

I got fat in the second grade, when my older brother had several kidney repair attempts and finally a kidney removal. I got to sit in the lobby for weeks and color and watch TV. My relatives would see me there on their way to visit my brother and feel bad for me, so they would buy me a piece of pie or a dish of ice cream or a malt. Each night, my grandfather would drive me home (he lived upstairs with my grandmother) but first, we would stop for ice cream. I went from a normal-sized child, to wearing chubby sizes. When I returned to school I was the target of the classmates' ridicule. Even my teacher treated me badly. My mom tried teaching me to count calories, but there was a penny candy store right across from school and an ice cream store next to that. My brother and I would go there quite often. He had gained weight, too, from all that lying in bed.

Over the years I have lost weight successfully, but then forgot about the problem and gained that back and more...over and over again.

I have had an abdominal hernia for 12 years. It has gotten very large, but no surgeon can repair it...unless I lose weight. I tried seeing a lot of doctors and no one was any help. They mostly said there was no way I could lose all that weight without some sort of surgery. Then I found SparkPeople and it occurred to me that many people have lost as much or more than I need to.

So here I am. I have discovered swimming burns three times as many calories as walking, and I can swim four times as long as I can walk, so I am down 34 pound, so far and Sparking daily. :-)

Hi all, my name is Grace and I have over 200# to loose. I am the mother of 2 boys, 6 and 8 and wife of a wonderful man for almost 14 years. I have been in recovery for 17 years and in that time I have lost at least 800# and gained at least 1,000 #. So, I know how to loose weight, but I had all but given up trying because it seems like I will always gain +. My husband and I are giving it another go round. I feel less hurried and more sure of success than I have in a long time. I am taking it one day at a time, it has been just over a week and we even went on a road trip for 2 days and stayed right on track. Taking a deep breath and getting on for the long haul...

Hi Everyone I am 47 married mother of a 21 year old college student. I live in Texas. As my name states I am here to "face facts" that I need to get rid of 200lbs. I am now just starting to have some problems walking. It happens when I get up in the morning or sit too long. I have noticed lately that I avoid doing things that I use to do. Actually ALOT of things. It gradually happen until one day I don't recognize me anymore. My son is very active and jogs everyday. I was thinking today, I really would like to do that again. I use to be on the track team in highschool. WOW it is hard to believe I use to do that. Its a good thing he doesn't take after me. Well here I am and ready to put one foot in front of the other. I look forward to being apart of this group!

I am 50 years old, very happily married, with 4 beautiful children, 8 gorgeous grandchildren, and a chi-weenie dog. My husband is my best friend. Jesus is my Lord and Saviour and is my bestest friend in the whole world. Jesus is the Lord of my life, but unfortunately I am struggling in making Him the Lord of my appetite.

A couple of days ago, I was getting frustrated because someone was shrinking all of my clothes. That caused me to weigh myself to find out the true reason my clothes shrunk. Today is June 16, 2010 and my starting weight is 350 lbs. I am a food addict.

My daughter-in-law introduced me to Spark People, and I now have a "spark" of hope that I will be able to get healthy through this program.

I am looking forward to interacting with you throughout this adventure!

Have a great day!

All Because of Jesus,

- Berta

With God ALL things are possible. - Matthew 19:26b

I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13

Hello I'm Jackie I've been on Spark for about a year just took 30 days off because I was just crazy busy and needed a break. I had lost just over 100lbs but due to a knee problem and then getting depressed over what I couldn't control I've put on about 15lbs ready to get that back off plus some more. My highest weight was 346lbs I'm only 4'11" so my "ideal" weight is like 120lbs meaning I've got to lose 200+ lbs I'm actually shooting for a goal of 170 and then we will see what happens after that. My knee is still giving me problems and I've been using that as an excuse to not do anything including watching what I eat but I'm ready to take control again.

Jackie

Highest weight 346 Height 4'11"

There are two big forces at work, external and internal. We have very little control over external forces such as tornados, earthquakes, floods, disaste

Hi, I'm emma. I'm heading downhill for 40 and I've decided it's time to take control and reinvent me to the be the person I want and can be. I'm at 396 (down from an all time high of 520+) and on my way. I'd like to take this journey with you.

Hi everyone, I just turn 57 and I'm taking one hour at a time. I'm a grandmother for the first time and I really want to be at her wedding, I want to see her grow up. I realized that if I don't lose weight now I will be dead. If don't stop now I will not there.I need to stop the madness. It will be the hardness thing I ever do in my life but at lest I will have a life. So I'm taking one hour at a time . Any words of encouragement will help. It's nice to know I'm not alone. This like my first step in the right direction.

Hello to all. Just joined the team this morning. Some of you may know me on another SP group, Need to Lose 200+ Pounds, although I'm also new there.

My name is Helen. I'm 48 and live in Kentucky. I've been overweight since age 12 and am now at my heaviest. Scared of reaching 400 pounds and experiencing increasing physical problems, I'm trying to turn things around, one day at a time.

Hi everyone! I'm late 30's with over 200 lbs to lose. I'm working the Weight Watchers program, have purchased a Wii (although not doing any of the fitness games yet), and just got my Sweatin' to the Oldies in the mail this morning.

My goal is to be on my way to a great new body when I turn 40 next year, but in the meantime I have a few little goals set up for me. A few pounds off by my birthday in April, more off by the time I meet my brand new niece in June when she visits, and even more weight off to be able to attend out of province/country training at work.

I am sort of going through what you are. I am 34 and 306lbs. I was loosing weight faster at first and when I started loosing slower, I stopped accepting my big goals such as loosing 32lbs since Sept. I had a lot of people remind me that I deserve what I am working for and that every effort and success I acheive, I deserve. You are giving less that 100% but if you are giving 50%, you are doing better than when you were giving no effort and gaining weight. You have to change your mindset. You are worth it and everything you get, you deserve. Every small weightloss is a success of not gaining. Remember that and don't be so hard on yourself. We have been mean to ourselves for long enough. Now it's time to love ourselves.

I am 33 years old and currently weight 302 lbs. I have lost 68 lbs since April doing weight watchers. My next big goal that I have been trying to reach is 299 lbs. I just REALLY want to say I weight 2 hundred and something pounds, and not 3 hundred and something.

For the last several weeks I seem to have lost my motivation (not sure if that is the correct word). I attend my meeting every week, and do my water aerobics 4 times a week. I just can not get my self to do program 100% (I want to) but something seems to be getting in my way (myself, I just can not figure out why)

I am not sure why I do this, but if people notice I have lost a lot of weight, I just shrug and say "yeah, but I have a long way to go".

I am having a problem with being proud of what I have done so far. And I am not sure how to get that back.

I have been so close to the 299 mark for the last month and half, and I just keep pulling .2's or .4's I don't even think I deserve to lose even that at this point. I am not giving it 100% so I do not deserve to lose ANY!

Hi Tonya! So glad that you're here with us! I am so happy that you have found your way to the GREATEST TEAM in spark people land. This team is full of excited, enthusiastic, inspirational members who are going to be happy to help you along the path to good health and happiness. Jump on in and have fun. If you have any questions, there are plenty of threads to visit for the answers or just ask and someone will gladly help you. Our members are awesome and make this not only a TEAM but a big happy FAMILY! -Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

Hi my name is Tonya. I currently weigh 372 pounds. I do not have a scale yet so I dunno if I've managed to lose anything this week and may have to wait til a couple more weeks for a scale or weigh in at my doctor. I belonged to this team a few years back as Paleorchid but life just got the best of me. I had a hysterectomy back then and seemed unable to lose even a pound every couple of weeks or so and after a few months of that I started getting depressed and lost hope pretty much. My daughter was raped and not only was I dealing with her pain but it took me back to a place in my mind that I never wanted to go again. We moved after it happened and while I thought it was for the best..my family began to split apart.

I know I'm going on and on but long story short I just gave up on myself. I had almost lost 100 pounds back then and not only did I gain tht back but I added another 22 to it.

I'm working through the emotional issues and have decided to return here and get my spark back.

Hi! My name is dianne and I have been an on again off again sparker. I'm back on again, for good this time. I have a lot of weight to shed and I am committed to getting it done before I graduate college (next dec).

Hi Nola, this is a great team and there are a lot of us here who have as much or more than you to lose. I am a co-leader in a chair exercise team as well. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to help you. I have lost 92 pounds since the beginning of June doing water aerobics and chair exercises! Let's get healthy together! Bright blessings to you my friend. Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

hi all my name is nola and i have 200 lbs to lose and no get up and go to do it i need to find chair excises because walk right now is a hard thing i was walk fairly well but i hurt my back cleaning my mom's trailer now it hurts to move help. and i have a lot of health problems and i get down a lot. need someone to talk to no friends here just me and my dogs and hubby and he is a man. i hope someone can help.

(Nola .F) Because there is another Nola on here my dear friend. Mountain time zone.

I HAVE A CHOICE. THE WAY I CHOSE IS UP TO ME. IF I FALL I WILL GET BACK UP. ONE STEP BACK. TWO STEPS FORWARD.

Welcome Mary... So glad to have you join us on this team! You're most welcome here. I really enjoy the team and think that you will as well. Glad to see a familiar face. Bright blessings to you my friend. Love ya, Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

I am not exactly new to spark people and have been a silent member of this team for awhile, but I've decided to change that and get busy back to posting and getting motivation from all the great people here. I hope to make some great friends.

Dee, I am so happy to see that you've joined this TEAM. It's a great team and full of active members who are willing to share the path the good health with you. I have found a lot of motivation and inspiration here. Just make sure that you are getting in all the right foods, drinking plenty of water and MOVING! -Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

Hello everyone, I'm Dee and new to the SP as well as to the team. Everything about me is on my page but if there's anything else you like to know please feel free to ask. Really looking forward to being part of the team and meeting new friends. I'm still learning to work the sites so please be patient with me. May everyone continue with their success...Dee

Hi, I'm Nance and new to SP and this team. I LOVE this website so far-- it's been GREAT!! I found it through a search engine. I fit the profile of this team, and I have a good start toward my goal, as I've been able to lose 40 lbs since about Jan. I truly feel this is going to be the time I really will reach my goal(s)! LET'S GO TEAM!!!! N

Remember...friends should hold hands & stick together, then they won't lose their way & if one falls down, the other helps you up! "To the world you might be one but to someone, you just might be the world!" "Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." Will Rogers Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right! "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do inter

Welcome to the team Sheila. I am so grateful that you are here with us today. I hope that you will stay with us and be active. This is a great group of folks and I am so happy to be here. I feel so blessed to have found this team and this site. If you need to talk, be sure to send me a message. I am here to be your friend. There is so much motivation, inspiration, information and love to be found here. Thanks for posting. -Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

Hi everyone I am Shelia, 40 yrs old feel like im 100. I have been back at sparks for almost a week now. Just found out about this team and so glad I did. I see tracyz, she was in 1 of my teams about a year ago. I just love her, shes so much fun to be around. Anyway I have been obesed most of my life, have alot of health problems and I am so ready to get off some of my meds, so I am here to stay this time. If you need a friend or just someone to talk to i am here have a great week and weekend, friends, Shelia

Farfedup (shelia) NO MATTER HOW BIG MY HURDLE IS, GOD IS THERE TO HELP ME JUMP OVER IT

Welcome to the group Sandra. I hope that you will like it here. I know that I am LOVING IT! I have made new friends who are sparking me on my way. I have been involved actively with spark people since June 7th. I am getting as involved as I can be. There is so much to learn here. Everyone is so nice and offer so much experience, strength and hope to me. Everyday I feel that I am getting closer to that healthier happier me that I know is at the end of this journey down the scale. Come walk the path with us.

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

I agree with you Jodi. The best part of spark people is the WE thing. I posted a blog about that today and how important TEAMWORK is for me.

My weigh in was today and I let go of 4 more lbs. I am very happy about that. 18 lbs in 28 days. This program rocks. It's the motivation and love that is helping me more than anything else. The WE pushes me to be a better ME.

Love ya, Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

HI!!! DAWN IT'S SO NICE TO HEAR "WE".....IT'S NICE TO KNOW I AM NOT DOING THIS ALONE!!!!! THAT'S WHY I LIKE SP!!!! I HAVE AWHILE BEFORE I WEIGH IN AGAIN BUT I KNOW IT WILL BE GOOD!!!! I'LL BE EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT URS!!!

Hi Jodi: Great to see you posting here. Let's do this thing together. Right now my target goal weight is 185. If I can get there... then I'll think about moving a little further down the scale, but for now, that is my goal and my Dr. supports me in that number. When I got active in SP I weighed in at 405. My weigh day is tomorrow. It will be 28 days of SP heaven. I'll let you folks know how I do. I just got home from the pool. Got a good exercise workout in and had a good time too. -Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

HELLO, MY NAME IS JODI. I HAVE ABOUT 200 TO 210 POUNDS TO LOSE TO BE AT THE WEIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO BE. I AM A MOTHER OF 5. A GRANDMA OF SOON TO BE 6. I LIVE IN MCMINNVILLE, OREGON. I HAVE LOST OVER 100 TWICE BEFORE, BUT IT HAS ALWAYS FOUND ME AGAIN...LOL BUT I FIGURE THIS TIME IS THE LAST...THEY SAY 3RD TIMES A CHARM!!!! I JOINED SP THIS WEEK AND AM THRILLED TO FIND A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM!!!!

Hi Y'all... My name is Dawn. I am married, 50, mother of 2 adult sons and grandmama to 8. I live in Martinsville VA and work as a customer service rep for UPS in Greensboro NC. Basically I sit 8.5 hours a day answering the phone... sit riding back and forth to the job 1.5 hours each way... and sit around the house when I am not sleeping. I discovered sparkpeople through a friend and to make her happy signed up on May 25th. Then I lurked a bit and didn't set a darn thing up or do anything. On June 7th (which I consider my change of life and commitment date) I set up my sparkpage and began my commitment to find the happier healthier Dawn. I am working out in some manner daily, writing and posting everything I eat and drink, posting to the teams...and all around getting so motivated and inspired that I am catching FIRE. They say it only takes a SPARK and they are correct!

Thanks for letting me join your team. I have 220+ lbs to lose before I can decide where to stop. I was over 400 when I started this journey. My top weight was 433 by the doctor's scale earlier this year. I AM GOING TO WORK MY WEIGH DOWN THE SCALE and get healthy. I have promised myself and I am promising you. Let's do it together. -Dawn

DAWN: Challenging all my friends & family to change the world, one act of kindness at a time. SMILE!

QUOTE: "To love another person is to see the face of God." -Victor Hugo

Hello I'm Karen I just joined this group today. After 6 months of maintaining a loss of 75 pounds I am ready to continue towards my goal. I want to eventually get below 160 pounds. (I am at 303 today, my highest was 378) I am trying to lose another 70-80 pounds this year. Next year I will work on the remaining weight. I try not to focus so much on the numbers because they don't change as often as I would like. I try to focus on what I can do each day. I am hoping by joining this group to find more ways to motivate myself and to find others who are struggling with the amount of weight and how long this can take. I guess I just need help...LOL most of this is all on my page...so anyway hello and I look forward to meeting new friends

No matter how many times you slip, no matter how far back you slide, no matter how long it takes. Get up brush yourself off and keep going. Your destination will be reached if you keep the journey alive. You can do this. -Bink Bell

My first goal: to get below 300. My second goal: to reach 240. My final goal To get below 160.

Hi Amanda :) I would definitely encourage you to check out your local TOPS chapter. While I love WW, TOPS does cost less and I absolutely love the group support.

As far as motivation, it comes and goes for me too. I've been working on losing this weight all of my life, but never really got serious until 3 years ago. It's been so slow that sometimes I feel like I'll never reach my goals. In order to combat those negative feelings I've tried to set smaller goals for myself - 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 10% goals, etc. I feel like smaller goals are more attainable.

I also tell myself to never give-up. Afterall, I can keep working towards my goals, maybe taking 2-3 (or more) years to reach them, or I can throw in the towel and spend the next 2-3 years gaining weight. Heck, I'll be doing either one or the other anyhow, so I may as well make the healthier choice. That's how I see it anyhow :)

Thank you for the congratulations, Amanda. I wish you lots of luck. I know you can do it!

i was wondering about the TOP meetings, i live in NC and we have those too. I need to go visit one. I wanted to do WW but do not have the time to go to the weekly meetings and money is tight right now. COngrats on your sucess, I weigh what you used to and really want to be where you are now. I just need the motivation which i do not have lately

Hi there! I'm Ruby and I'm 39 years old from Central NY (Syracuse area). I'm married to a wonderful man and we have two children - a son (16) and a daughter (13). We live on a small farm and have an assortment of critters - dogs, cats, ducks, chickens and pigs.

When I joined Weight Watchers in 2006, I was 360 pounds. I did pretty well in the beginning but have spent most of the last year losing and gaining the same 10 pounds over-and-over again. In response I decided to give Sparkpeople a try in the hopes of mixing things up and getting the scale to move in the right direction.

I'm also a TOPS member and have been for a year now. I love my TOPS meetings and look forward to them every week.

My SW: 360 pounds My CW: 266.75 pounds My GW: 150 pounds

I've lost 93.25 pounds and have 116.75 left to lose. I know it's going to take time, but that's okay. I'd rather spend my time losing weight than gaining it.

Hi! I'm Cindi and I live in Pennsylvania. 46 yo and married. I've recommitted to taking this weight off. Joined a gym and a local weight loss challenge. I love yard sales, reading and hanging out with family and friends.

I'm Jennifer, am just about 40, and live in Oregon with my boyfriend and teenage daughter (I also have a 22 yr. old son who lives across town). Kids were by a prior marriage. I wasn't always fat, but boy do I have the poundage to lose now! And since I'm not plagued with any problems that are obesity related, I'd like to get fit for prevention's sake!

i am a mother of 6 ( 1 deceased). i am a stay at home mom after working for 20 years. i need to get healthy for myself and my children. for generations all of my family members have had bad health due to morbid obesity. i want to be the generation to break that chain. although weighing in at 321 isn't going to do it. i need support which i have none right now. so here i am.

I like this group's name, have fun and get rid of 200+, because I don't think losing 200 pounds will be fun. I expect this trip to be hellish, painful, and tortuous. Maybe it won't be. Maybe it will be fun.

Maybe we will have fun together. Hopefully we will. . . I look forward to it.

Hi everyone! My name is Sara and I joined Spark in late August, but didn't get serious about my weight loss or using this site until this past Friday. I joined this group because I have about 250 lbs to lose to get to my ultimate goal weight, and it's great to know I'm not alone! A little about me I am 25 and live in Southern California. I just got married this past summer and so I have a wonderful husband named Chris. With the economy sucking right now lol my husband lost his job and is having a really difficult time finding a new one, and I am finishing my last semester of school to get my BA in History so I can teach some day. That being said we had to move in with my in-laws to survive and I love them to death, but things get stressful with everything going on and that has made it hard for me to stay on track at times, but I feel like I'm finally ready to make this change. I have been overweight since I can remember and feel like I've missed out on so much already because of it... I don't want to miss out on anything else. I want to lose the weight and get healthy so once my husband and I are back on our feet we can have a baby and start our family together. My health is my number one priority right now because it has to be. Sorry for rambling so long I tend to do that lol, but thanks for listening and thanks for letting me join this team. I am so excited to do this together. Thanks in advance, Sara

Sharon,I am new to the group also.I have a lot to lose.About 250# I have already lost 71# because I am a diabetic and about a year ago I had to start giving myself 4 shots a day .I was deathly afraid of needles.I still do not like them,but it is a have to case.I am going to be 49 the day after Christmas.I have a daughter who is going to be 28 Christmas and a son who just turned 16.I also have a 7 year old grand-son who is a great joy in my life.I have been married for 30 years on Oct.20.I have lived in Missouri all of my life.I would like to welcome you to this group.They are being supportive. Cindy

Hi. I have been looking for a weight loss buddy who has as much to lose as I do ... and I ran across a whole team! I'm so excited! I started with approx 250 pounds to lose. I've lost 25 but have been stalled for about three months and need to get back on track. I figure this will be a good place to get it. I was a member of one team, but they were very negative and actually put members in the "pig pen" if they didn't lose two weeks in a row. I've had more than enough people try to shame me for my weight and quit that group right away.

So anway ... can I come and play with you guys?

A little about me ... I am 49, have a 26-year-old daughter who lives about an hour away. Born and grew up in Maryland. Have lived in MD, PA, DE, VA, and now NC - Charlotte, to be exact. I love it here. Have been here a little over a year. I am divorced (for forever) and work as a legal secretary. I have one four-legged furry child who I adopted last year from the humane society. Her name is Trixie and she has epilepsy. She's a sweetie pie.

I look forward to getting to know some of you and be an encourager and team player as we do this together!

Thanks!!

Sharon

I will not sacrifice what I want most for what I want at the moment.

It's too much to think about how much I have to lose, so I'm setting 50-pound goals along the way. May switch to 25.

WOW, Cindy, We have a lot in common. I too was born in 1959, I'll be 49 in October. I have a son and daughter too, but mine are 8 and 13. I'm not diabetic, but I can't walk without getting short of breath, and I can't do a lot of things I used to do. Sparkpeople is a great site to be on. You can learn a lot and use it to learn how to be a better person!!! It is a great place to be!!!!

Welcome to the team Cindy. I know how you feel. The most I weighed was 400 pounds and I told myself that was enough. Since my daughter introduced me to SparkPeople I've lost 16.8 pounds. The people that belong to SparkPeople are always there for you to support you and keep you motivated. If ever you need anything, please don't hesitate to e-mail me or comment on my SparkPage and I'll reply back to you. I'm always there to support one of my Spark family.

Vanessa

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Confucius

"God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference." ?

Hi.I'm new to this group.I do not know about threads and stuff like that and how to set up my sparks page.I will need peoples help on this and to help motivate me.I weighed 481 in Jan2005. I have diabetes and high blood pressure. About 6 months ago I had to start giving myself 4 shots a day.I was deathly afraid of needles,but I am getting used to it.The best thing about this is the fact that I have lost 75# since then.I was born in 1959 which makes me 48 right now.I will be 49 in Dec.I have a daughter who is 27 and a son who is almost 16.I also have a grandson who is 7. I really could use some motivation.I can't walk very far without getting out of breath.I really need to start doing some kind of exercise as I can't do the things I used to do like shopping,etc. I am really looking forward to meeting everyone in this group. Looking forward!!!! Cindy

Hi, my name is Vanessa and I started SparkPeople about a month ago. I decided to join this team because I have over 200 pounds to loose and this looked like an interesting team to join. I joined SparkPeople to change my living lifestyle. I still make mistakes and my biggest ones are that I don't drink enough water or get any exercise in for the day. This is what I am trying to improve on. I'm hoping by joining this team I'll get some motivational support.

Vanessa

"Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort." Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Confucius

"God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference." ?

Hi My name is Ann and I have been on the Spark site for about a month. The last time I was weighed it was about 409--6 years ago, and I know I weigh more now. Since I started SP last month, I feel better. I have more health concerns than I want to think about, but from what I've read here, I am not alone. I have a wonderful family who is also fat. I am here because I want to help me and help them. I found this team because I saw it on a friend's page and it "spoke to me." I am looking forward to the fun part!

Hi Laurel, I'm Dena. I am 42 and I also need to lose 200lbs. well actually a little more. to the team!!! I am fairly new here, but I have found so many wonderful people and they are so encouraging!!! I have neuropothy and fibromyalgia, so I have been restrained to the house, mostly in bed. I have been forcing myself to get out and walk. I can now walk to the end of the block and around the corner and half way to the next end and back to my house!!! Not much to most people, but to me, it's incredible!! So, if I can start moving again, I know in my heart of hearts that you will be doing more and more in no time!! Feel free to jump in with any questions or comments. These people here will do whatever they can to help!!!! Looking forward to getting to know you better!! Dena

My abusive childhood is not an EXCUSE, it's an EXPLAINATION. I'm to use it as a TOOL to change my future.

Hi I'm Laurel, I am 32 and I just started the Best Life Diet. I need to lose about 200 pounds, but right now I am mostly focused on getting more active. I've been stuck in the house taking care of my mother who has been ill and I've let myself go. I am looking forward to being a part of this group and wish everyone here the best of luck.

Hello I am Erin. I am 30 years old and need to loose 200+. I am currently in a doctor supervised weight lose and she recomended this page and thus far I love it. Everyone I have come accross has been incredibly supportive. I am looking for friends to go thru the journey with.

Hi everyone, I am a 42yr old mom of two, both boys ages 19 and 16. I am married to an awesome supportive husband for 22yrs now. I also am the mom of a black lab/sharpei/bloodhound mix. His name is Gizmo, 7yrs old. A chineese pug, Lucy, 1yr old. and another chineese pug, Pugsly, 13yrs old. I have over 200 to lose. On april 2,2008 I weighed 402. this week I weighed 382, I am trying to get the lap band surgery done in october and I have to get down to 374 before they will do the surgery. I am really struggling because I have fibromyalgia and neuropothy, as well as bipolar type 2 and diabetes. All the medication I'm on esp. the pain meds constipate me so bad that I really swell up. Any help or suggestions would help. thanks Dena

My abusive childhood is not an EXCUSE, it's an EXPLAINATION. I'm to use it as a TOOL to change my future.

Hi. I'm new here too. At 50 I'm 353 lbs, have arthritis, have had one knee replacement and need to have the other done. Have had spinal fusion in my neck for degenerative joint disease and have chronic nerve pain in my arms and legs from the DJD. I have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I know if I can get some of this weight off I will begin to feel better. I love walking but it is so painful I avoid it as much as possible.

I found spark people a couple days ago and feel so motivated and blessed by both the site and all the people here. I finally feel like I have hope and have even found some exercises on the site I can do sitting in a chair or laying on the bed, versus the floor. I can't get down to the floor and if I did I fear it would take a crane to get me up again, LOL.

Thanks in advance for all the support and Thanks for having me on your Team! Vickey

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